Jussie Smollett’s Siblings Give Impassioned Pleas After His Sentencing

Jussie Smollett‘s siblings gave their thoughts after his sentencing. 

Outside the Chicago courthouse on March 10, Jussie’s siblings spoke with reporters, saying that he is innocent and that he did not deserve the sentencing. The Empire star was found guilty of five of six charges for filing a false police report in 2019. His report of an alleged hate crime led judge James Linn to sentence him to 150 days in a county jail starting Thursday and 30 months of felony probation.

“[The judge] shamed my brother, he spoke about his arrogance,” his brother Jojo Smollett, 44, said. “He doesn’t know the struggles my brother is encountering. He doesn’t know anything that he’s dealing with.” 

Jojo went on to say, ”In 2022, we don’t shame people like this. Alright? He basically called him a mental case.” 

Jussie’s older sister Jazz Smollett, 41, started off by saying that she believes her brother is innocent. 

“This should not be a controversial statement because it is the absolute truth,” she said. “What should be controversial is the entire miscarriage of justice his whole ordeal has been.”